SoftQuad Software, Ltd. announced that it has joined the Ariba Inc. supplier enablement initiative and will integrate its products into the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform using the Ariba Commerce Services Network (CSN). SoftQuad’s XML-based content solutions, XMetaL and MarketAgility, combined with the Ariba CSN, provide suppliers with a single, Internet-based point of access and integration with buyers and marketplaces worldwide. Ariba CSN also provides SoftQuad’s customers with efficient trading mechanisms and commerce processes such as systems integration services, global supplier directories, sourcing tools, B2B auctions and reverse auctions, logistics and supplier enablement, electronic payment and streamlined transaction services. Further, SoftQuad will collaborate with Ariba on the continued development of cXML. SoftQuad will use cXML to integrate its B2B solutions with the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform. www.softquad.com
Category: Content technology news (Page 499 of 637)
Curated information technology news for content technology, computing, and digital experience professionals. News items are edited to remove hype, unhelpful jargon, iffy statements, and quotes, to create a short summary — mostly limited to 200 words — of the important facts with a link back to a useful source for more information. News items are published using the date of the original source here and in our weekly email newsletter.
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The OpenTravel Alliance (OTA) published its Version 1 specifications that gives the travel industry one universal format for collecting and exchanging customer preferences among airlines, hotels, car rental companies, tour operators, travel agencies, and related services. The OTA customer profile has innovative features to make life easier for travelers. The common format allows the travel industry and its web sites to collect information on identification and preferences only once and exchange it with suppliers of travel services as well as their intermediaries. The specification lets customers define collections of travel service in terms of their own varied needs, such as business travel or the annual church retreat. OTA Version 1 also contains comprehensive privacy features that enable the customer to control any transfer of personal data. The built-in controls allow only specified parts of the profile to be exchanged. The specifications include DTDs, as well as many sample OTA messages. The drafts of these that were issued in February 2000 generated comments from all over the world, from both inside and outside the travel industry. The final specifications released today incorporate these, which have significantly strengthened Version 1. They can be freely downloaded from www.opentravel.org. OTA participates in the ebXML initiative to develop a single XML message infrastructure to facilitate communication between different businesses and industries in different countries. ebXML used OTA’s draft sample messages as part of its proof of concept tests at its May meeting in Brussels, Belgium. As a further contribution to ebXML, OTA is providing its Version 1 specifications. OTA is keen to align its specifications with those in other industries, including the work of the CPExchange initiative, and sees ebXML as an effective way of doing this. With over 150 members representing influential names in all sectors of the travel industry, including air, car, hotel, travel agencies, technology providers and other travel related suppliers, the Alliance is comprised of five work groups air, car, hotel, leisure supplier, and non-supplier. These groups, together with an interoperability committee to coordinate their efforts, are developing open Internet-compatible messages using XML data terms. www.opentravel.org
NetGenesis Corp. announced support for analyzing customer behavior over WAP servers, helping e-businesses that market to wireless devices analyze and improve the success of campaigns. NetGenesis’ Wireless InfraMarketing reports enable e-retailers, content providers and financial and B2B sites, to improve wireless marketing campaigns, content and e-commerce programs by analyzing crucial wireless E-metrics and making better business decisions around them. NetGenesis’ InfraMarketing provides a clear snapshot of customer activity. It reveals customer behavior over time and provides predictive analysis, an analytic baseline to enable e-businesses to predict their customers’ activity patterns and help them target their customers more efficiently based on these profiles. With predictive analysis, e-businesses can begin to anticipate what customers may buy and forecast purchase behaviors. InfraMarketing also allows e-businesses to measure InfraMetrics, the key metrics needed to succeed on the Web. InfraMetrics allow e-businesses to drill deeper into customer interests and segments to track individual behaviors and clickstream patterns for more effective marketing campaigns. www.netgen.com
EXTOL, Inc., announced the availability of the EXTOL Integrator Release 5.0 for AS/400 and Windows NT. The highlights of Release 5.0 are XML transformation, a new Web browser-based user interface developed in Java, Enhanced Formula Processing, and Internet Commerce security. The flagship feature of Release 5.0 is XML transformation, which takes standard EDI element IDs and converts them to XML tags. EXTOL creates and uses the XML style sheets that accompany the incoming documents, allowing any user to look at the data in a very readable format. An XML document can be processed as data, attached to e-mail, or sent as a fax. Release 5.0 introduces a new user interface for EXTOL Integrator 400 and EXTOL Integrator NT, reflecting the general industry trend towards Web browser-based user interfaces. Another key feature of Release 5.0 is Enhanced Formula Processing, which allows a user-defined formula (arithmetic or logical) to be applied to both inbound and outbound operations, reducing the need for external programming to process transactions. The EXTOL Integrator now ships with pre-written samples and many options for creating additional routines. Release 5.0 of the EXTOL Integrator includes support for EXTOL’s Internet Commerce, a separately licensed product. This upgrade is a simple and automatic process. All existing trading partner definitions, transaction maps, and application file sets remain intact, without change. Any version of the EXTOL Integrator from Release 3.3 and higher may be upgraded to Release 5.0 in a single step. www.extol.com
Netscape Communications announced the availability of Netscape 6 Preview Release 2 via free download from www.netscape.com/download. Preview Release 2 includes: “Themes” allow users to change the look of the browser by applying different combinations of design elements or “skins;” Netscape WebMail access directly from Netscape 6 Mail combines the Netscape Mail application with the flexibility and connectivity of WebMail; A new strong-crypto protected Password Manager builds on the privacy and security offerings of Cookie Manager and offers users the convenience of streamlining and protected Password use across the Internet; and New My Sidebar features, including My Sidebar Central and My Sidebar Directory, as well as additional partnerships. Netscape 6 also features additional support for International users. Netscape Preview Release 2 is also available today in Japanese. German and French language versions will become available within 30 days. All releases allow users to easily switch language user interfaces, buttons and menus, and regional settings through a Language/Region Selector. Netscape 6 will also automatically detect character sets so users will automatically be able to view foreign language sites without being prompted to choose the appropriate character. In addition, international users can now access their existing US-based WebMail accounts through their localized browser. www.netscape.com
TIBCO Software Inc announced it has agreed to acquire Extensibility, Inc. in a stock transaction valued at approximately $100 million. Extensibility software is used to design and process XML schemas, computer “vocabularies” that enable e-businesses to create and exchange complex digital documents and validate electronic commerce transactions. Combining TIBCO’s current XML and schema management capabilities with Extensibility’s leading technologies will allow customers to create entirely new types of software applications to more quickly and easily conduct business over the Internet. In addition to incorporating Extensibility’s technologies into its own products, TIBCO will continue to market and enhance stand-alone Extensibility products. Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary regulatory review. The acquisition will be accounted for under the purchase method of accounting. TIBCO is in the process of evaluating the allocation of the purchase price to the assets to be acquired, which will include in-process technology that will be written off in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2000, and goodwill and intangibles, which will be amortized over the benefit period. www.tibco.com, www.extensibility.com
IBM and Vignette Corp. announced a global strategic alliance to meet growing e-marketplace demands in retail, financial and NetGen (dotcom) sectors. The alliance integrates Vignette’s V/5 E-business applications with IBM’s WebSphere e-business platform. Together, the two companies will supply customers with e-business solutions that grow market share, reduce deployment times and provide the infrastructure for each stage of e-business development. The integration will enhance the family of WebSphere products, including WebSphere Commerce Suite and WebSphere Application Server, which currently provide a fully integrated middleware solution. The multi-year agreement includes joint marketing, services and helping Vignette to integrate on WebSphere Application Server. IBM and Vignette’s initial focus will be in the retail, financial and “Netgen” (dot.com) industries, and both plan to expand to other industries in the coming months. The two organizations will jointly market Vignette V/5 E-business applications and the IBM WebSphere Application Server Platform, WebSphere Commerce Suite, IBM’s DB2 Universal Database and are optimized for IBM’s RS/6000 and Netfinity servers. Dedicated engineering, product marketing and quality assurance teams will manage the integration and optimization of the entire integrated e-business solution. The Vignette V/5 E-business applications will fully support the IBM Application Framework for e-business – a roadmap for integrating Internet technologies with traditional information technologies. In addition, IBM Global Services will grow its worldwide services practice focusing on Vignette V/5’s support of eCRM and e-commerce from 100 IBM services professionals to in excess of 500. Prospective customers will be able to visit IBM’s Business Innovation Centers that will feature Vignette V/5 E-business applications. IBM experts in Vignette products will help customers identify, build, integrate, and deploy solutions that meet their specific business needs. The IBM ‘ Vignette alliance is part of a developer initiative through PartnerWorld for Developers in which IBM forms strategic relationships with application developers. Under the initiative, developers gain access to new customers and revenue opportunities through IBM’s extensive marketing, sales, and solutions resources. At the same time, developers lead with IBM’s middleware, server platforms and services. www.ibm.com, www.vignette.com
Vertical Computer Systems Inc. announced the official beta release of two of its MLE (Markup Language Executive) Solutions Suite products: the XML Catalog Enabler Agent and the XML Database Agent. The XML Catalog Enabler Agent is directed toward B2B e-commerce applications, and the XML Database Agent is directed mainly toward internal operations of organizations. Both products enable advanced interoperability in B2B, B2G and B2C e-commerce. They are server-based tools that allow data to be fetched from an SQL relational database via http. Both work on Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Linux. The XML Catalog Enabler Agent will enable vendors to enter the e-procurement business quickly via XML. The general availability for these two products is scheduled for Sept. 30, 2000. www.vcsy.com
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